Louisiana Just Suspended Its Congressional Primary Days Before Early Voting Starts. The First State to Move on the SCOTUS Voting Rights Ruling.
The big picture: Louisiana’s governor and attorney general just announced they’re suspending the state’s six congressional primaries so Republicans can redraw the maps in response to yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling that gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Early voting was supposed to start this Saturday. Absentee ballots have already been sent to overseas voters. The state hasn’t clearly explained whether other primaries on the May 16th ballot will still happen, leaving millions of voters confused two days before they were supposed to vote.
Why it matters: This is what the Supreme Court ruling actually looks like in practice. Louisiana is the first state to attempt mid-election disruption in response to the new legal standard. Tennessee, Georgia, and Mississippi are watching. So is everyone else.
The chaos
Early voting was set to start Saturday. Overseas absentee ballots already mailed weeks ago. Some voters may have already filled out and returned ballots that now contain defunct races. The state hasn’t clarified if non-congressional primaries (Senate race, constitutional amendments, local contests) will still happen on May 16th. Reports suggest those may proceed, meaning Louisiana voters could face two separate primaries weeks or months apart.
What the state is claiming
The governor and AG say the Supreme Court ruling prohibited the state from running elections under the current map. Election law experts and Louisiana State Representative Kyle Green, a former assistant state attorney general, dispute this. Quote from Green: “The Court’s decision does not halt the election process on its own. And any attempt to suspend or disrupt an ongoing election at this stage would raise serious constitutional concerns.”
The political math
Louisiana’s Republican legislature could now gerrymander to pick up one or possibly two House seats. If they go too aggressive, they may trigger fresh legal challenges that drag the process out even further.
Who’s next
Mississippi Republicans planning a special session, though focused on State Supreme Court elections. Tennessee Republicans openly debating a pre-midterm redraw, with the State House Speaker citing conversations “with the White House and other individuals.” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says he’s “analyzing” the ruling, and the Georgia House Speaker hasn’t ruled out redistricting even though early voting is already underway.
By the numbers
6, congressional primaries suspended
2 days, until early voting was supposed to start
1, statewide explanation that has nothing to do with what the Supreme Court actually ruled
19 plus, House seats nationally projected to shift to Republicans from the broader ruling
4, Republican states (LA, TN, GA, MS) actively considering moves so far
The bottom line
The Supreme Court didn’t tell Louisiana to cancel an election that was already in motion. The state chose to. Voters are paying the price for political decisions that should have been made years ago, not days before early voting starts. And other Republican states are watching Louisiana to see what they can get away with next.
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WTF?!? This is just the start!! They’re going to do this in EVERY state that hasn’t had maps redrawn yet?! We’re so cooked!! FUCK I hate it here.